The present invention relates to stoppering machines for applying stoppers to the openings of containers such as bottles. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an improved stoppering machine wherein a device is provided for holding a supply of stoppers and for selectively arranging and feeding the stoppers to a stopper insert means where the stoppers are inserted into the openings of containers. The invention is also directed to an improved stoppering machine wherein a device is provided for guiding the stoppers to and supporting the stoppers at a position immediately over the openings in containers for insertion into said openings by a stopper insert means.
The aforementioned and other features of the present invention will be made clear in the following specification.
Stoppering machines for applying stoppers, made of a resilient material such as rubber, for example, to the openings in containers such as bottles are known in the art. Such machines have application in the pharmaceutical industry, the cosmetics industry, etc.
One such prior art machine is illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings where it is seen that properly oriented stoppers 1 are fed sideways vertically down a delivery chute 2 to a pick-off plate 3. This plate holds the stoppers for the oncoming containers 4 whose lips pick off the stoppers from the pick-off plate. Two power-driven rollers 5 and 6 then roll the stoppers into the openings of the containers. This type of machine suffers from several disadvantages in that since a stopper is rotated into position on a container by the interaction of the container lip and the side of the stopper, the stopper can become cocked or misaligned as shown in FIG. 2a. In addition, because a rolling force is used to force a stopper into an opening of a container, the stopper may be canted even after passing under the second roller as shown in FIG. 2a. Also, the use of a plurality of rollers in an attempt to insure against such canting adds additional time and expense to the stoppering operation itself.
Another stoppering machine which avoids the drawbacks and disadvantages of the aforementioned type of prior art stoppering machine is disclosed by Henderson et al in U.S. Pat. No. 2,934,238. In this apparatus, the stoppers are brought in a right-side-up orientation to a position above the containers to be stoppered where a vertically reciprocating ram is employed to force the stoppers into the openings of the containers. However, several disadvantages inhere in the Henderson et al stoppering apparatus. In the first instance, the stoppers are not supported immediately over the openings of the containers before being inserted therein by the ram but are spaced above the openings from where they must be forced through a cylindrically shaped passageway toward the containers. The passageway is open or slotted along one side over a considerable portion of its length. The stoppers are moved into this passageway sideways through this opening or slot. The size of the cylindrically shaped passageway is smaller than the corresponding size of the stoppers so that the stoppers must be compressed and forced through the passageway, except in the area of the opening or slot where expansion can occur. Thus, the generation of undesirable particulate matter from the abrasion of the stoppers by the passageway may occur. This is particularly so in the area of the bottom edge of the slot or opening along one side of the passageway since the slot does not extend the full length of the passageway and any portion of the resilient stopper having expanded into this opening would tend to be sheared off when forced over this bottom edge.
The generation of particulate matter is especially deleterious where contamination of the container being stoppered must be guarded against as in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.
The likelihood of contamination by the generation of particulate material is further increased in the Henderson et al stoppering machine because with the insertion of a stopper into an opening of a container, the next stopper to be inserted is supported in a chute in such a manner that it is forced into contact with the side of the ram during its movement.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a stoppering machine wherein the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art stoppering machines are avoided and, more particularly, wherein stoppers can be quickly and safely inserted into the openings of containers without undue fear of contamination by particulate matter generated during insertion of the stoppers.
This and other objects of the present invention are achieved according to the present invention by providing a stoppering machine comprising, in combination, a stopper support means for supporting stoppers immediately over the openings of successively presented containers, said stopper support means having a through hole whose shape corresponds to that of said stoppers and whose side wall tapers inwardly such that said stoppers are supported by said tapered side wall in a position immediately over the openings of said successively supplied containers for insertion into said openings, and a guide means for guiding stoppers to a position above said through hole of said stopper support means where said stoppers drop and enter said through hole and are supported by the tapered side walls of said through hole.
According to a preferred embodiment illustrated herein, the aforementioned stopper support means is provided with an upper surface portion on which the stoppers are supported as they are guided by the guide means to a position above the through hole.
The depth of the through hole in the support means can be made considerably smaller than the length of the stoppers supported therein so that the stoppers can be quickly and easily inserted into the openings in the successively supplied containers without fear of undue contamination from generated particulate matter.
According to another feature of the present invention, a blocking means such as a pin can be provided for blocking the movement of stoppers being guided by the guiding means when an inserting means moves down into the through hole of the supporting means. With such a blocking means, the stoppers are not forceably pressed against the side of the moving inserting means.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a means for holding a supply of stoppers and for selectively arranging and feeding the stoppers to the stopper insert means of a stoppering machine, said means for holding, selectively arranging and feeding stoppers having a minimum number of moving parts and being capable of selectively arranging and feeding stoppers at preselected rates as high as 500 per minute or more.
The aforementioned and other objects of the present invention are attained by providing an inclined rotatable member which contacts a supply of stoppers, said rotatable member having supporting means thereon for supporting stoppers during rotation of the inclined member such that stoppers are raised to where those stoppers not properly arranged in said supporting means for feeding to the stopper inserting means of the stoppering machine fall from said supporting means under the effect of gravity.
In a disclosed embodiment of the invention, the supporting means of the inclined rotatable member includes an annular recess for supporting the stoppers. Means can also be provided which protrudes into the annular recess and which rotates with the inclined rotatable member to ensure that the stoppers supported in the annular recess are raised as the inclined rotatable member rotates.
Further, according to a disclosed embodiment, a guiding means is provided which projects into the annular recess of the inclined rotatable member so as to guide stoppers therein to a chute through which said stoppers move by the force of gravity to the stopper inserting means of the stoppering machine, said guiding means being positioned downstream along the path of rotation of the inclined rotatable member from where those stoppers not properly arranged in the annular recess fall from said annular recess under the effect of gravity.
While the aforementioned invention for holding a supply of articles and for selectively arranging and feeding the same is described in the specific context of a stoppering machine, it is to be understood that this invention could be used to hold a supply of articles other than stoppers and to selectively arrange and feed the same.